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Comparing The Tang Dynasty And The Western Civilization

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From as far back as time could go, nearly who and what a person was depended on their gender. Women were seen as inferior to men no matter their intellectual or social status background. Men and women alike were expected to have certain and specific duties associated with their gender. Gender roles have always been a popular discussion topic due to its major impacts on cultural norms of various time periods. The popular start and discussion of gender roles and feminism specifically was initiated in its early forms dating back to the 18th century when Mary Wollstonecraft founded the modern European feminism ideology. Although feminism and the feminist movement didn’t officially start until the mid 19th century, it did not stop people from …show more content…

For women, although they are seen in areas like politics and entertainment like previously mentioned; their prominent role was being the main caregiver to the children and to their husbands as well as the housekeeper while their husband were away at work to provide for the family financially. Women had limited rights within their marriages. They were expected to wait on their husband’s hands and feet. They were unable to initiate a divorce and in more cases than not, were required to share their husbands with their other wives or concubines. Female children were considered unwanted compared to male children because male children had the ability to continue the family name/family tradition as well as provide physical labor out in the fields which benefited the family financially. Usually, with families of more female children than male children, the females would be sold to the wealthy to serve as concubines, prostitutes, participants in arranged marriages, or even to be simply traded for useful cattle/livestock for food and field labor. The status of women declined even more with the end of the Tang dynasty leading to the Song dynasty. Fast forward to the time period of 1350-1550, this two hundred year span is known as the Renaissance or the rebirth period.

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